Sprout-tastic
A seasonal winter veg, sprouts are at their best between October and March which is perhaps why they are known as the quintessential Christmas dinner veg. Brussels sprouts are thought to have been cultivated in Belgium in the 16th century, hence the name.
Brussels sprouts are low in calories but high in many nutrients, especially fibre, vitamin K and vitamin C.
Although they’re related to cabbage (any parents out there call them “baby cabbages” to make them sound more appealing!?) they have a sweet, nutty flavour that some people find bitter.
Sprouts seem to divide the nation, with some loving them and others saying they are a Christmas tradition they would happily ditch – but is that just down to overcooking which can make the sprouts taste bitter?
Here at littleseed we are big sprout fans, so here are a few of our favourite ways to enjoy what we think is the ultimate Christmas vegetable.
A spicy stir fry
Slice the sprouts in half and stir fry in a pan with some onions and a glug of Littleseed Spicy stir fry oil. The chilli, garlic and ginger flavour of the oil is the perfect flavour to go with the sprouts and the addition of a few cooked chestnuts is just delicious.
Sprouts cook quickly, so just remember they won’t take long.
Eat them raw
Sprouts can be eaten raw and are great in salads and slaws. Just slice them thinly or grate them using a mandolin. We love this recipe for sprout slaw on the Ocado website.
If you prefer your slaw dairy free, just replace the yoghurt with a dressing made from 1 x tbsp of Littleseed natural rapeseed oil, 1 x tbsp of freshly squeezed orange juice, 1 x tsp of orange zest and a splash of wine wine vinegar. Perfect for serving with Christmas cold cuts.
Add them to your mac & cheese
This is a great way to use up cooked sprouts that might be leftover after Christmas day. We chop the sprouts into quarters and stir them into our cheese sauce along with some cooked bacon lardons and the macaroni. Sprinkle some more cheese on top and bake in the oven until nice crispy.